18 arrested in Montco for failing to pay child support

NORRISTOWN — The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department teamed up with the Bucks County Sheriff’s Department and the Domestic Relations Office Tuesday morning to serve warrants on parents who were not paying their child support.

Deputies served warrants for 37 parents who were not making child support payments in Montgomery County, according to Montgomery County Sheriff Eileen Behr.

Eighteen parents were taken into custody, four of the parents arrested were women, Behr said.

“We have to thank the deputies sitting here in this courtroom,” Behr said at a press conference following the morning’s sweep. “Because of all of your efforts this morning, somebody will get some money that will help a child.”

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Rebecca Colantuno, the Domestic Relations Office Enforcement Unit assistant director, said this was the second round-up of the year and “it was incredibly successful. Of the 18 they did round up this morning, it will hopefully bring in $180,000 in rears.”

Deputies divided the warrants into four different areas during the sweep: Lansdale and Hatfield, Collegeville and Pottstown, Norristown and Lower Merion, and Willow Grove and Abington.

The Times Herald, sister paper to the Mercury, was on scene with deputies who performed the sweep in the Norristown/Lower Merion section.

A man arrested in Ardmore just before 2 a.m. owed $37,000 in child support payments. During the time the Times Herald was with the sheriff’s deputies — from 1 to 5 a.m. — three individuals were arrested without incident. A man was taken into custody in Ardmore, another in Lower Merion and a woman was taken into custody in Norristown.

Three other men were unable to be located at the addresses given to the deputies. While some who opened their doors to deputies were confrontational, no force was needed throughout the morning.

The Sheriff’s Department compiled a list of eight people they consider to be the most wanted in the county: Francis McLaughlin, who owes $54,000; Daniel Draden, who owes $67,000; Jamar Baird, who owes $20,000; Alphonse DeFrancesco, who owes $37,000; Daryl Postell, who owes $14,000; Londun Ricketts, who owes $25,000; Juan Contraras, who owes $6,600; and Anthony Garrity, who owes $25,000.

“We’re asking for the help of the public that if anybody knows these subjects or where they are residing to please call us at 610-378-3340,” Deputy Joanne Plasterer said.

After the raid began, four more on the list turned themselves in, including Efrain Rodriguez, who owed $3,222.62; James Quill; Alexander Scott, who had warrants totaling $59,101.47 and Gerald Lahaise.

A bench warrant is issued when a defendant fails to appear at a court hearing. Once the warrant is issued, the defendant can be arrested at any time.

Plasterer explained once a bench warrant is issued, the Montgomery County Warrants Division sends the defendant a letter explaining that a warrant is issued and the defendant has the chance to turn themselves in during courthouse hours Monday through Friday. Defendants cannot call to take care of the warrant.

Everyone who was arrested on a bench warrant on Tuesday will be seen by a judge in the afternoon. Those arrested will eventually meet with someone from the Domestic Relations Office to determine a purge amount to be paid. The purge amount is an amount that needs to be paid before the defendant is released from jail. Once they are released they will have to continue with the payment plan the court ordered.

Tuesday was the second time in 2013 that the sheriff’s department has conducted these sweeps, arresting parents who owed child support. In June, the sheriff’s department gave parents who owed money an amnesty week to turn themselves in. This time offenders were not given the opportunity to turn themselves in once a warrant was placed. After Tuesday’s sweep there were about 275 active warrants for parents who are not paying child support.